TENNIS chiefs are investigating claims a Wimbledon match was fixed.
A clash played at this summer’s tournament is set to be probed after being flagged as potentially dubious. A match at the US Open, which concluded last month, is also under suspicion.
Betting firms reported unusual wagers on the match, which took place in the final ten days of the SW19 tournament.
Experts at the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) have decided there was enough “suggestion of corrupt activity” to launch a full-scale probe into it.
Spokesman for the unit Mark Harrison said: “It has been followed through to this because it has occurred at such a high- profile event.
“It has got to the stage it is being investigated by the TIU.
“The reason these things are so rare is because a Grand Slam is the pinnacle of tennis.”
The existence of the investigation was only revealed in a quarterly briefing released by the integrity unit.
The third-quarter report spans July to September inclusive, meaning Wimbledon matches played in the first four days, since its start on June 27, are not under suspicion.
The match does not involve any high-profile, household names but was played at the famous tournament as millions watched matches across the fortnight.
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In total, of the 35,041 professional games played in this three-month period, there were 96 match alerts.
In 2015, 246 match alerts were received and the nine-month total for 2016 now stands at 217.
Such alerts raise the possibility that a match could have been fixed.
Once there is an alert, the TIU assesses whether there could be any other factors to explain unusual betting patterns.
Sometimes there are innocent reasons, such as a player suffering an injury or a poor market setting.
The TIU only carries out a full investigation if an initial probe shows suggestion of corrupt activity.
The investigation is understood to be in the advanced stages but the unit does not publish outcomes unless there is a fine or punishment.
Wimbledon was won this year by Brit Andy Murray in a nail-biting victory that saw him collapse in tears as he triumphed.
The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club declined to comment on the investigation.
A spokesman said: “We were made aware but as per standard protocol, it was a matter for the TIU.”
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